Here is how to get around Orange County with more confidence.
This guide explains riding OC Bus, paying less with a reduced fare, using OC ACCESS, and planning a trip step by step.
OC Bus is Orange County's public bus system.
OC Bus is run by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). These steps work for most trips.
Get a Wave card or app.
Wave is OCTA's fare card and phone app. It lets you pay quickly and get fare caps.
Plan your route.
Use a trip-planning app or the OCTA website to find your bus, your stop and the time.
Wait at the stop.
Check the route number on the front of the bus before you get on.
Pay and ride.
Tap your Wave card or app, find a seat, and pull the cord before your stop.
People with disabilities can ride OC Bus for a reduced fare.
You need reduced fare status from OCTA, and you may be asked to show proper identification.
$0.75 a ride
This is the reduced one-way fare for people with disabilities and riders 60 and older.
$1.35 a day
With Wave, rides are free for the rest of the day after you spend $1.35 on reduced fares.
$22.25 a month
With Wave, rides are free for the rest of the calendar month after you spend $22.25.
Free for college students
Students at Orange County's nine community colleges can ride OC Bus free after they register.
Cash fares do not include free transfers or fare caps. Fares are from OCTA's senior and disabled fares page, checked in October 2026.
OC ACCESS gives shared rides to people who cannot use regular buses.
OC ACCESS is OCTA's paratransit service for people whose physical or cognitive limitations prevent them from using regular OC Bus routes.
Getting started
- Call OC ACCESS Eligibility at (714) 560-5956 to ask about applying.
- A ride costs $3.60 each way, paid when you board.
- One personal care attendant rides free with you. Other companions pay the same fare.
- Eligible OC ACCESS riders can also ride regular OC Bus routes for $0.25 after they enroll.
Booking a ride
- Call (877) 628-2232 at least one day before your trip. You can book up to three days ahead. The TDD line is (800) 564-4232.
- Reservations are taken Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on weekends and holidays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- OC ACCESS serves places within three-quarters of a mile of OC Bus routes, on the same days and hours.
- A same-day option can reach any Orange County address. OCTA covers up to seven miles, and you pay the $3.60 base fare plus any extra cost.
Details are from OCTA's OC ACCESS overview, checked in October 2026. Please confirm with OCTA before you travel.
This checklist helps you plan any trip.
- I know where I am going, and the address is saved on my phone.
- I know which bus or ride I will take, and when it leaves.
- I have my Wave card, my phone and enough money for the fare.
- I know where I will get off, and I have a landmark to look for.
- I know who I will call if I get lost or if the bus is late.
- I have a backup plan for getting home.
An Amelio Services provider can help you practice until a trip feels easy.
Learning to use public transit can be part of Community Integration Supports (331). Many people practice in small steps like these.
Ride together.
You and your provider ride the route together and talk through each step.
You lead the way.
You plan the trip and lead, and your provider rides along.
Your provider follows.
Your provider rides separately or meets you at the end.
You ride on your own.
You ride by yourself and send a text when you arrive.
Amelio Services members can plan practice rides in the calendar inside their dashboard.